Papá's Girl

Runaway

©JRF2016

We were walking through the woods, Shane kept one arm around me at all times, when we heard someone screaming we all stopped dead in our tracks. We looked around and Carl, after pleading with Rick to help, took the lead heading toward the screams. The test of us following closely behind. We all got to a clearing to find a man curled up on a rock with walkers all around him clawing at his feet trying to get hold of him, hungry for their next meal. We each took turns and took the walkers down with ease as this new guy slid down off the boulder he was on. He was wearing a priest's uniform. Rick asked him if he was okay when he held up a finger and then puked all over the ground. We all looked at him and then I glanced over at my uncle who was scratching his head just as confused as I was. Who got sick like that after this long? Blood, guts, and walker stink are things you should be used to after this long. "Thank you," he said after recomposing himself, "I'm Gabriel," he said extending his hand. Rick just stared at him. He pulled his hand back and looked at all of us nervously. "You got any weapons on you?" Rick asked and Gabriel chuckled. "Does it look like I would have any weapons?" Gabriel answered Rick's question with his own when Abraham spoke up from the back of the group. "We don't give two short and curlies what it looks like." The priest looked around at all of our dead serious faces and he got more serious and answered Rick this time. "I have no weapons of any kind. The word of God is the only protection I need."

"Sure didn't look like it," Uncle Daryl spoke flatly as he continued to stare at the priest. "I called for help. Help came." He said as he moved his hand around at all of us and smiled which no one in our group returned. "Do you have," he paused before continuing, "have any food? Whatever I had left just, uh, just hit the ground." Carl stepped up beside his father offering the pecans he had. He complimented Judith and everyone tensed up and moved a little closer. Gabriel noticed and became even more nervous. "Do you have a camp?"

"No, do you?" Rick asked him in return. "I have a church," Gabriel replied.

"Hold your hands above your head," Rick ordered. His voice showing his impatience with the situation. He began to pat the man down as he asked those three oh so important questions. "How many walkers have you killed?"

"Not any actually."

"How many people have you killed?" This earned a shocked look over his shoulder at Rick. "Uh, none."

"Why," Rick asked the final question. Gabriel flinched at this before asking in a tone saying that the answer should be obvious, "Because the Lord abhors violence."

"What have you done?" Rick asked as he stared the man down, "We've all done something."

Father Gabriel was walking us back to his church Rick was talking to him as Shane dropped back to talk to me. "You okay, Izzy? You haven't said much since we got out of Terminus. You haven't said much since we reconnected." He wrapped an arm around me and I flashed the biggest fake grin I could manage at him and just uttered, "I'm fine babe." Then I placed a quick peck on his tender lips. He looked at me unbelieving. I started listening to the men at the front now as Father Gabriel turned and said, "Now a days people are just as dangerous as the dead, don't ya think?"

"No people are worse," Uncle Daryl said flatly. I left Shane's side and walked up beside my uncle and he glanced at me before wrapping an arm around me. He told us that he hadn't been watching us and that back there was the farthest he's been from his church since it all started. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked up at my uncle. He returned my confused gaze as Gabriel continued. "Or maybe I'm lying. Maybe I'm lying about everything and there's no church ahead at all." Rick tilted his head to the side and leaned forward getting ready for whatever might go down. Shane quickened his pace and was soon at my side again. "Maybe I'm leading you into a trap so I can steal all your squirrels." Gabriel laughed and then turned his head back at our group, none of us joining in his apparent joke. "Members of my flock have told me my sense of humor leaves much to be desired." He elaborated. Uncle Daryl pulled me in closer to his body, "Yeah it does." We continued our walk in silence as the church came into view just ahead of us. Gabriel pulled his keys out and walked up to the door to open it when Rick stopped him. "Hold up, can we take a look around first? We just want to hold on to our squirrels." Rick held out his hand for the key and Gabriel handed it to him. Shane, Rick, and Daryl searched the place before giving us all the okay.